Chapter 5: A simple denouement

Five minutes later, we joined Sir Randolph outside the tent as the men shuffled around nearby. Sir Randolph addressed them.

"I think I may have misled you somewhat earlier. Sir Robert came here at my request for help after I returned to find our bones had disappeared. You may be interested to know, he is the personal investigator of the Governor-General of New England. He is also a Master of The Magicians Institute,"

The assembled men suddenly looked somewhat sheepish. I turned to Sir Randolph and said, "Would you be so kind as to show me where the bones were stored?"

"Of course!" and he led me to a spot about forty yards away from the dig site excavation.

Apart from a slight scuffing of the surface sand, there was no trace to show how the area had been used. I withdrew my wand and tested the area for traces of magic. There were none. We then returned past the excavation to where the spoil was stored. I noticed one man walking alongside of Sarah, and decided to use my increasing psychic connection to her to hear their conversation.

"What's goin' to 'appen to us, m'lady?"

"That depends largely on whether the bones are recovered. It also depends upon who is to blame for their disappearance."

"They're all 'ere!" he said "And as for blame, it's Sir Randolph! He's to blame for all this."

"How do you mean?" asked Sarah.

"It's like this m'lady." He said, "Sir Randolph's to blame for this. It was 'im what said them bones were beyond price.

I lost the connection as we approached the spoil. The other workers were displaying apprehension in varying degrees. The worker with the least worried face was the foreman, Todd.

As we reached the spoil, I said in a loud voice, so that all could hear. "I know now who is to blame for the disappearance of your beast."

"Who?" asked Sir Randolph, almost explosively?

"Why you are responsible for the disappearance, Sir!" I replied struggling hard not to grin as I told him. "What value did you put upon the bones?"

I could see the wheels revolving slowly in his head as he tried to recall what he had said.

He muttered, "I think I said that the bones were beyond price."

"And what did you mean by the phrase 'beyond price'?" I said plainly, so all could hear.

"What? Why I meant just that. and no more."

The penny had obviously not dropped.

"Sir Randolph," I said gently, but still loudly enough to be heard by all. "The expression, 'beyond price' can have either of two meanings. It can mean that it is so valuable that no-one can afford it or it can mean that its value lies not in monetary terms. Which did you mean?"

I could see in Sir Randolph's face, He had recognized where I was going.

"I meant the latter, of course. Fossilized bones are just rocks. No one is going to pay anything for a few rocks. However, these rocks are invaluable in showing what the world was like in ages long ago."

"Todd!" I called. "If the bones are returned at once, I'd be inclined to say no more about it. What say you?"

Todd's face had been easy to read. The steely face of ignorance had gone through puzzlement, realization, apprehension and at last, relief.

He stepped forward and said. "They're buried beneath the spoil pile, sir. I take all the blame, Sir, it was my idea. We haven't dug up anything like this before. We likened it to buried treasure. We didn't know its value."

The crew went back to the spoil pile and started digging, supervised by Todd and then by Sir Randolph.

Left to our own devices, Sarah and I decide to go for a walk up and over the hill. As soon as we were out of earshot, I congratulated her on the way she had handled the worker who approached her.

"I didn't think you'd noticed." She said.

"An Investigator notices everything." I replied somewhat pompously in my best 'Quantico' teaching voice. "Anyhow, that was very well done, my dear!"

I sensed her enthusiasm take a leap upwards.

We were holding hands as we walked up the hill. She asked, "Where do we go from here?"

"Quantico!"

"No, don't be silly! I meant us. Where do we go in our relationship?"

"I wasn't aware that we had a relationship." I teased.

"Of course we do! You rescued me and therefore my life is yours to command."

"Oh, you mean that relationship! Well, how about this?"

I came to a halt, turned to face her and put my arms around her. Bending slightly, I put my lips to hers.

As we kissed, my mind was trying to envisage our future life together. I was sure it would be a long and happy one.

Edited By TeNderLoin